I offer you a gift! Sign up for the “Journey to Joy” workbook here! Your gift includes the downloadable 65-page “Purposeful Pathway: Journey to Joy” workbook (PDF), rich with Scriptural meditations, reflective questions and activities, and poetic inspirations. This 7-step journey is lovingly designed to deepen your connection with Jesus and heighten your joy.

Surrender is Not a Sign of Weakness

Often surrender is interpreted as a sign of weakness, however it is not. Surrender is a sign of strength, and the first step in learning to become humble as we are told we should in James 4:10 which says “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up”.

It is through surrender we are able to let go of our ego and with it all the negative feelings, attitudes and beliefs that make us miserable and is the basis of many of our illnesses and problems. We become miserable because the ego is self-serving and is always looking out for its own best interests. When things do not go “its” way, the ego becomes upset. It was unable to feed its insatiable appetite for more of “me”.

We are reminded in Philippians2:3-4 3 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others”. When we surrender we become selfless, and we put the interests of others before our own.

Surrender is not a sign of weakness, but it’s difficult to look past what we feel is best for “ourselves”. It’s all a part of an internal survival instinct that tells us we must first look after ourselves.

Surrender means becoming bigger than our “self” and when we do, we bring ourselves to a higher level of consciousness and awareness. It is through this higher level of awareness that we begin to focus on who we are becoming, not on what we do or even have.

We begin to care more about the needs of others and have a willingness to offer help. We choose to be a part of the solution, instead of a part of the problem. The old “self” has gone and we no longer look to be self-serving.

Through surrender and humility we are lifted up just as it is referred to in the Book of James. We no longer feel we need to feed the ego because we are confident in who we are, and in the choices we make. We are strong enough to surrender and humbled enough to put the interests of others first.

As it is written in Philippians 4:13 “I can do all this through him who gives me strength”.

If thou desire the love of God and man, be humble, for the proud heart, as it loves none but itself, is beloved of none but itself. Humility enforces where neither virtue, nor strength, nor reason can prevail.

The Greatest Love of All

It is God’s great love that gave us the air we breathe, the beautiful sunrise/sunset(s), and so many more great things as we are told in Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”. He did all this and gave us free-will. What did He expect in return? What did He get in return? Is love about expecting something in return?

No, the key to any successful loving relationship is giving without expecting anything in return. Let’s remind ourselves of what the Bible says about love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 4 “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres”.

We are reminded of great love in John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”. He did this so that we may be forgiven of our sins, so that we have choice to spend eternity with Him in heaven if we ask for forgiveness.

Now He which stalisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God: Who

hath sealed us, and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts

(II Corinthians 1:21-22)

When a child is born, a birth certificate is issued. When a piece of property or an automobile is paid for, a title is issued. When one successfully completes a college degree program, a diploma is granted.

In most cases a “seal” is easily seen on all these documents.

According to the Scriptures, when God saves a soul He places a seal on that important transaction.

The idea of having seals and official state insignias is an old one. For instance, when our Lord died and was buried, there were those who were concerned that the disciples might try to steal His body from the grave and then claim that He had risen from the dead. When Pilate heard about this he determined to place the seal of the Roman government at the burial site:

Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as you can. So they went, and made the sepulcher sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch (Matthew 27:65-66).

There are three passages in the New Testament which give us insight into this precious doctrine of sealing:

II Corinthians 1:21-22 (quoted above).

Four important points can be made from these verses:

God the Father establishes the believer in Christ.

God the Father anoints the believer.

God the Father seals the believer.

God the Father gives the Holy Spirit as an earnest (a downpayment) to the believer. The promise is that eternal life and better conditions await the believer in heaven!

Ephesians 1:13-14.

In Whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the Word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation: in Whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory.

Two important points can be made from these verses:

The sealing took place after belief in Christ.

Believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 4:30.

And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye were sealed unto the day of redemption.

Two important points can be made from this verse,

The verb translated “ye were sealed” is in the aorist tense in the Greek, indicating completed

action. Believers in Jesus Christ are immediately sealed the moment they are saved!

The sealing lasts until “the day of redemption.” This means that until the Lord takes believers

home to heaven the sealing of the Holy Spirit is upon his soul!

There is a logical connection between sanctification, justification, and sealing. In positional sanctification the believer is made holy in his standing before God. In justification he is declared holy by God. In sealing, the record is made official in the court

of heaven.

Satan can make whatever accusation he wants against a believer. It simply does not matter. Why? A believer has been sanctified, justified, and sealed, and God did it all!

Generally speaking, sealing involves such things as security, official status, ownership, and a guarantee. These things are granted to all believers. They are precious truths that the Bible teaches clearly, and they cannot be taken away or nullified.

~*~

John Rataczak, Ph.D. is the sole proprietor of Eleutheros Books. “Eleutheros” is the Greek word which means “free,” and the theme verse for the ministry is John 8:36: If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

I offer you a gift! Sign up for the “Journey to Joy” workbook here! Your gift includes the downloadable 65-page “Purposeful Pathway: Journey to Joy” workbook (PDF), rich with Scriptural meditations, reflective questions and activities, and poetic inspirations. This 7-step journey is lovingly designed to deepen your connection with Jesus and heighten your joy.

I offer you a gift! Sign up for the “Journey to Joy” workbook here! Your gift includes the downloadable 65-page “Purposeful Pathway: Journey to Joy” workbook (PDF), rich with Scriptural meditations, reflective questions and activities, and poetic inspirations. This 7-step journey is lovingly designed to deepen your connection with Jesus and heighten your joy.